Fight to Save U.S. Tourism Marketing Dollars Tracks Politicians’ Threats

It's no secret that the state of destination marketing funding in the U.S. is imperiled. From the federal to the state level, officials don't want to be seen as spending money or resources on things that don't have a clear benefit for voters. Often, tourism falls into that bucket. Indeed, the U.S. has always had a general aversion to the idea that government should be involved in tourism promotion, and whether and how money is allocated to these efforts has always been a political issue. But, according to Jack Johnson, chief advocacy officer for membership organization Destinations International, the current political climate is a particularly unsettling time for CEOs who manage destinations. "The number of destination organizations being put under the microscope by politicians, by government officials, public advocacy groups and by the media is growing," Johnson told Skift. "Destination organizations are beginning to see their government funding and too often their own existence